ADB Appoints New DG for Pakistan and 10 Other Countries

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Leah Gutierrez as Director General for its Central and West Asia Department, effective today. In her new role, Gutierrez will oversee ADB’s operations and strategic agenda in 11 countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Gutierrez brings over 40 years of professional experience, including 25 years with ADB. Prior to this appointment, she served as Director General of ADB’s Sectors Department 3, where she led initiatives in finance, social development, and governance. Gutierrez holds a PhD and a Master’s in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines. ADB recently revised Pakistan’s FY2025 growth forecast to 2.7 percent, citing improvements in the industrial and services sectors. ADB, established in 1966, has 69 member countries, with 50 from the Asia-Pacific region.